Roll neck seal



J. E. SHIELDS ROLL NECK SEAL Aug. 4, 1953 Filed Aug. 24, 1949 BY JACK 5SH/51.05

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mi e ma Patented Aug. 4, 1953 ROLL NECK SEAL I J ack E. Shields, Mount Lebanon, Pa., assignor to Shields Rubber Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 24, '1949, Serial No. 112,030

This invention relates generally to seals, and more particularly to an annular elastomer for sealing between two coaxially aligned members such as between the neck of a mill roll and the sleeve that forms a part of the bearing assembly which supports the mill roll.

Several different types and shapes of seals have been employed for sealing ofi the bearing supporting the neck of a steel mill roll to prevent the entry of dust and flying scale, but they have been unsuccessful. provides an annular elastomer seal which is successful for this purpose and provides one or two annular shoulder seals adjacent a seating or anchoring groove on one member and a capillary seal for the other member. This combina` tion provides a novel neck seal that holds against heavy vibration that accompanies mill work.v To increase the flexibility of the seal it may be provided with an annular hollow chamber, the prin- `cipal plane of which lies substantially in line with the shoulder seals and cooperates therewith to aid in their sealing function.

Other objects and advantages appear` in the following description and claim.

The accompanying drawing shows, forthe purpose of exempliiication without limitingthe invention or claim thereto, certain practical embodiments of the invention wherein:

Fig. l is a View in cross section showing the seal as a free body;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the seal under compression;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the seal shown in Figs. l and 2 with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section showing a roll neck bearing support employing this seal; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View of a modied form of seal.

Referring to Fig. l, the elastomer seal I consists of a body portion 2 and a head portion 3. The circumference of the head portion 3 and the body portion 2 are scribed from constant radii. The radius of the bodi7 portion 2 is shorter than that of the head portion 3, as indicated by the radii construction lines 4 and 5. In view of the fact that the radius 5 of the head 3 is the largest diameter, the sides of the head extend beyond the adjacent sides of the body member 2 to form shoulders (i and 7. The shoulders are connected to the body and head portions by means of reverse curved portions, as indicated on the drawing.

As shown in Fig. 3 the annular elastomer seal- 1 claim. (o1. 28a-19) The present invention ing ring is molded with the body portion 2 and the head portion 3 in axial alignment with each other. Thus a twist of approximately 90 must be given tothe ring to seat the body portion 2 into the groove 9. This twist in the ring helps to retain the seal in its seat while the roll neck is inserted.

The interior of the elastomer seal is provided with an annular air chamber 8 having its principal axis substantially in line with the shoulders 6 and 1 and its minor axis at 90 to the principal axis and midway between said shoulders. This air chamber can be provided with gas under pressure, although it have been found to function satisfactorily Without pressure, being merely a chamber and sealed within the elastomer and capable of collapsing to permit the head to distort under compression, as shown in Fig. 2. The elastomer seal is made of rubber, plastic or any suitable type of elastic and flexible material and has the durometer hardness of near or about and a tolerance of 2%4 of an inch. It is deemed advisable to employ the chamber, but if the seal is not for uid pressure it may be made out of a softer rubber or a sponge rubber, the chamber 8 being unnecessary.

As shown in Fig. 2, the seal I is under compression. The body 2 being seated into the groove 9 and when under compression is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1. However, material pressure is brought to bear from the collapse of the head 3 to extend the shoulders 6 and 'I out over the member l0 that contains the groove 9 and in which the body 2 rests. The other member II being sealed is relatively `close to the member I0, creating a material compression of the head 3, thus causing it to become distorted and expand laterally and increasing the dimension of the shoulders 6 and 'I and also causing the interior annular chamber 8 to collapse as indicated, thereby providing material force to maintain initial sealing engagement between the members. It will be noted that the member I I still provides a capillary seal on both sides of the elastomer member with spaces between the member Il and the head 3 becoming minutely small so that the ycapillary action of the liquid crowded under pressure between the wall I I and the seal prevents the passage of the iluid under pressure across the head. The body member 2, being substantially undisturbed, is in fact .compressed into the groove 9, as indicated by the chamber 8, being slightly lower in Fig. 2 than that as shown in Fig. l. Thus, compression of the head 3 not only provides the capillary seal on both sides thereof with the member Il, but also increases the sealing power and length at the shoulders 6 and 'l and maintains the whole of the body substantially in sealed relation with the groove 9, which has been found to be an ideal sealing relation for use in the neck or a mill roll, as shown in Fig. 4, and prevents rolling of the seal from the anchoring groove.

In Fig. 4 the roll is indicated at I2 and is provided with a neck I3 that is conical on some parts `and cylindrical on others. As shown, the roll is supported on its neck by the bearingsZ which are assembled in the-bearing structure re quiring the sleeve it which matesi-n-sealing relation with the conical neck of the roll, as indie. -v l'cated at I5, and is locked therewith. The elastomer seal is seated in the groove 9'in"`the"out wardly haring bore of the sleeve it. The' head foi the elastomer seal enga-ges the conical neck 42, as illustrated. The sleeve I4 has no relative movement with the roll neck. However, there vis relative movement between the sleeve and the outer-casing Il. A double-raced.- encased seal -member i8 is provided between the end of the sleeve M and the outer casing Il.

The bearings 2@ ride upon an inner race'2 I -s cured to a cylindrical portion of the ri'eckA l3 and the outer race 22 is carried by an adaptor 23 that is-seated in the bearing head 24, which is mountedonithe end of the casing il and provided with a` closure head 25, together with the cap plate 2E.

The structure vas shown in Fig. discloses-a modied form ofvsealSl wherein the body 32 of the seal-is not semi-circular in cross section, but its sides are substantially frustoconical relative to each other. When the seal 3 lis placed in the groove 39, it does not completely ll the same, leaving a small space in the bottom of the .groove that may-be completely taken up-by the material of the body 32 and thereby relieve some of the functions of the annular chamber 38. The head CFI of the seal has anarcuate top as indicated at 21.

`However, the sides .are arcuate,` but not circular.

Upon compression of the head-33 the shoulders 36 and 3l will be extended Vin the same manner as` the structure disclosed inFigpZ. vNevertheless, an increased pressure is brought to vbear -on each of the shoulders and 31 and when the space in the bottom of the groove is completely lled, a compression type seal is provided on the side of the member and a capillary type seal is produced between the 'head 33 and the outer member 4 l Onel of-the principal advantages of this type t"of sealis that any tendency to rock, or otherwise disturb a seal in the groove, merely creates increased pressure on one of the shoulder members or on the shoulder member adjacent the applicalti'onir in the direction of the rolling pressure,

tendingto cause theseal to rock about the shoul- -derrat-herthanto collapse and flow. This in- I5r creased pressure creates a resistance to the disturbance of movement of the seal and permits the'same"tohold-when subjected to material pressures and also prevents rolling of the seal out of its socket or anchoring groove.

"An annular elastomer roll neck seal constructed when al'freeI body to comprise an annular body Ll'sbrtionv the whole'of which is cross-sectionally 'shaped tot ir'ito an annular groove with one end exposed, an annular ilexible neck portion integral with and projecting from each side of the exposed endof said body portion, and a head por- 'tion integral with both "of said neck portions and defining with said body and neck portions a lhrollovfz annular take-up chamber that permits distortion of said head and neck portions without disturbing said body portion, said head portion extending above and beyond said body portionto."form shoulder means in line with said chamber, said head portion ilexibly hinging from said-neck portions toi'perrnit distortion thereof relative -tov'said body portion.

JACK SHIELDS.

yReferenc'es'Cited in the le of this patent UNITED' IA'ES PATENTS Number Name Date '1,365,780 Hammer Jan. 18, 1921 1,326,321 Mitchell oct. t, 1931 2,265,693 Knight Dec. 9, 1941 2,365,574: MWane DBC. 19, 1944, 

